Card table



NOV. 10, T GREEN 2,060,302

CARD TABLE Filed April 20, 1933 Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 20,

5 Claims.

My invention relates to card tables and more particularly to those of that character wherein a deck of cards is shufiled and dealt by a mechanical robot mechanism, and has for its principal object to provide signals successively actuatable upon energization of the robot mechanism to indicate which of the players is the dealer when the next hand is played.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is` illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a card table employing an electrically operated card shuffling and dealing mechanism and equipped with a signalling apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, the top of the table being broken away to better illustrate the construction of the signal operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of a card table particularly illustrating the signal actuating apparatus and the electric circuits for energizing the signals.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the table on the line 3--3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective View of the four circuit rotary switch and its actuating rod for closing circuit to the signals.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective View of the control button for rendering the signal changing switch ineffective, when a re-deal is to be made.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a conventional type of card table including a rectangular frame 2 comprising spaced side members 3, 4 and 5, E supported on legs 'I. The sides 3, 4 and 5, 6 are rabbeted, as at 8, to form a support for a playing top 9. Supported by the lower side edges of the frame I in parallel relation with the playing top is a bottom member I cooperating with the frame and playing top` 9 to form a rectangular compartment II for housing the robot mechanism.

The robot mechanism is indicated by the circular dealing track I2 through which the cards are dealt to the delivery compartments I3 located in the frame adjacent the positions of the players at opposite sides of the table.

Mounted on the bottom member I0 of the compartment II and extending transversely thereacross is an angle member I4 forming a part of the frame work of the mechanical robot and which mounts a switch I that is connected in circuit with the operating motor (not shown). The switch I5 includes a toggle arm I6 project- 1933, Serial N0. 667,007

ing through a slot I'I in the vertical leg I8 of the angle member to be engaged by an angularly arranged cam I9 carried on a sliding drawer 20 by which an unshufed deck of cards is inserted in the dealing mechanism.

The drawer is moved outwardly through a slotted opening 2I in the side 6 ofthe frame to receive the cards and when it is returned to position the cam shaped member I9 engages the switch arm I6 to effect closure of the energizing circuit to the actuating motor.

The construction thus far described is conventional to a known type of an electrically operated card table and specically forms no part of the present invention, except that the cam I9 is utilized for actuating the signalling mechanism so that upon each energization of the robot in dealing a deck of cards, the signals are changed to indicate the player designated as the dealer who begins the play or bidding on the succeeding hand in accordance with the game being played.

The signal mechanism includes electrically energized signal lamps 22, 23, 24 and 25 located in the respective corners of the table and which are successively energized as the cards are dealt for each successive hand by a switch mechanism now to be described.

The switch mechanism is actuated upon each manipulation of the drawer 29 when it is moved into position for actuating the switch I5. The switch mechanism includes a four circuit rotary type switch 26 having contacts 2'I, 28, 29 and 30 connected respectively With a terminal of the lamps 22, 23, 24 and 25 by circuit wires 3l, 32, 33 and 34.

The other terminals of the lamps are connected by a common wire 35 leading from one of the secondary terminals of a transformer 36 that is mounted in the robot compartment adjacent the signal lamp 23. 'I'he other secondary terminal of the transformer is connected by a circuit Wire 3'I with the contact arm 38 of the rotary switch so that when the contact arm engages one of the contacts 2'I, 28, 29 or 30 a circuit is closed to the corresponding signal lamp. The primary of the transformer is connected to a suitable lighting circuit by the circuit wires 39 supplying current to the mechanical robot.

The switch operating mechanism includes` a reciprocating rod 49 slidably mounted in a guide tube 4I that is carried in brackets 42 and 43 projecting from the angle member I4 and in an aligning tube 44 which is supported by a similar bracket 45. The ends of the rod 40 project from the opposite ends of the respective tubes as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The end of the rod adjacent the switch 26 is slidably mounted in an angle bracket 46 and is threaded as at 41 to mount an adjustable stop nut 48 to adjust the effective length of the rod relatively to the spacing between the rotary switch and the cam I9 of the card drawer.

Pivotally connected with the opposite end of the rod and arranged to swing in a vertical plane on the pivotal connection 49 thereof is a hinge rod 56 having a roller 5I on its forward end yadapted to be engaged by the cam portion I9 when the sliding drawer is moved into position for actuating the robot switch I5.

The roller 5I is normally retained in engagement with the cam I9 by a spring 52 sleeved over the rod 40 and having one end bearing against the tube 4I and its opposite end against a collar 53 on the rod. The hinged portion of the rod 50 is guidingly supported in the slot 54 of a bracket 55 that extends from the vertical leg of the angle member I4 at a point adjacent the switch I5.

Adjustably mounted on the rod 40 at a point adjacent the rotary switch is a laterally extending arm 56 that is connected with an actuating arm 51 for the switch. by a connecting link 58. The actuating arm 51 includes a hub portion 59 rotatably and slidably mounted on a shaft 69 which carries the switch contact arm previously mentioned. The hub portion 59 is provided with ratchet teeth 6I which normally engage ratchet teeth 62 on a collar 63 that is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 60.A The ratchet portion of the arm 51 is normally retained in clutching engagement with the collar 63 by a spring 64 having one end bearing against the arm and its opposite end against the switch contact arm 38, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

The clutch teeth on the collar 59 and switch rirm 51 are arranged to rotate the switch contact arm in a counter clock-wise direction when the push rod 40 is moved by the sliding drawer 20 against tension of the spring 52 to move the contact arm progressively from one contact to the next upon each actuation of the card drawer. But when the spring 52 retracts the rod the latch teeth effect disengagement of the arm from the clutch collar to prevent retractive rotation of the switch contact arm when the card drawer is withdrawn.

In order to prevent changing of the signals in case of a mis-deal, or upon re-dealing of the cards by the robot, I provide a control mechanism for rendering the push rod ineffective upon actuation of the card drawer 29.

The control mechanism includes a rod 65 movable through a slotted opening 66 in the side 6 of the frame at a point adjacent the card drawer and having its opposite end slidably supported in a bracket 61 xed to the leg I8 of the angle member I4 on the side opposite to the switch control mechanism. The outer end of the rod 65 is notched, as at 68, to provide a latch for engaging the lower edge of the opening 66 to retain the rod in protracted position. The outer end of the rod is provided with a suitable knob 69 by which it may be reciprocated, as later described.

The rod 65 is normally retained in retracted position by a spring 19 having one end engaging the bracket 61 and its opposite end engaging a washer 1I on the rod. When the rod 65 is protracted through the opening 66, it is retained in latched position by a spring 12 having one end fixed to the rod and its opposite end to the bottom I0 of the robot compartment II.

Adjustably mounted in an opening formed in the vertical leg I8 of the angle member I4 is a sleeve member 13 for rotatably mounting a shaft 14 having one end terminating adjacent the hinge rod 50 and provided with a crank arm 15. The opposite end of the shaft 14 carries a similar crank arm 16 that is pivotally connected with the end of the rod 65 by a pin 11. The free end of the arm 15 is connected by a pin 18 with a block 19 that is loosely mounted on the hinge rod 59, as best illustrated in Fig. 5.

It is thus apparent that the free end of the hinge rod is supported by the arm 15 and when the rod 65 is latched in the opening 66 by the spring 12, the arm 16 is moved in a clock-wise direction, Fig. 5, to rotate the shaft 14 and cause the arm 15 to raise the free end of the hinge rod 50 above the cam I9, so that when the card drawer is moved to switch closing position, the cam portion will not engage the roller 5I since the roller has been removed from its path of travel upon lifting of the hinge rod.

When the signal lamps are to be changed to indicate the next player who is to be designated the dealer, the knob 69 is lifted to disengage the notch 68 so that the spring 10 will retract the rod and effect lowering of the roller 5I into its normal position ready to be engaged by the cam I9 when the card drawer is again moved to circuit closing position.

In operating a card table equipped with a Signalling mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, the players may cut for deal to determine the player who is to be designated the rst dealer. The signal light representing that player may then be energized by moving the card drawer to and from circuit closing position to actuate the switch operating mechanism until the signal light designating that player is energized.

The plays of the hand will then proceed and after each hand the cards are placed in the drawer to be delivered to the robot. Upon each actuation of the card drawer, the switch will be operated to effect changing of the signals to indicate the next player who is designated the dealer.

In case of a mis-deal, the rod 65 will be actuated to cause the roller 5I to be moved out o! the path of travel of the cam I9 so that the signal will not be changed when the cards are inserted into the robot for the new deal.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a signalling mechanism which is automatically and progressively operated upon each energization of the robot, so that the order o1' deal is automatically indicated to prevent confusion as to which of the players is the dealer for each hand to be played.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a card table provided with a mechanical card dealing mechanism and means for energizing the card dealing mechanism, a signal carried by the table, means mounted in the table and actuatable by said energizing means for controlling said signal for successive actuation, and means connected with said controlling means to render said controlling means ineffective.

2. In combination with a card table, and. a card dealing mechanism including a card drawer for moving an unshuflied deck of cards into the dealing mechanism, and a cam on the drawer, a signal located in the table adjacent each players position, a switch having a Contact for each signal for successively actuating the signals, circuit wires individually connecting each contact in circuit with its respective signal, a rod reciprocably mounted in the table and having one end engaging said cam, means connecting said rod with the switch to effect operation of the switch by said drawer, a second rod slidably mounted in the table, and means connecting said rods to render said first named rod ineffective upon actuation of the second named rod.

3. In combination with a card table, and a card dealing mechanism including a card drawer for moving an unshuflled deck of cards into the dealing mechanism, and a cam on the drawer, a signal located in the table adjacent each players position, a switch having a contact for each signal for successively actuating the signals, circuit wires individually connecting each contact in circuit with its respective signal, a rod reciprocably mounted in the table, means connecting the rod with the switch, a hinged member on the rod, a roller on the hinged member engaging said cam to eiect operation of the switch upon operation of the drawer, and means for raising the hinged member from the cam to prevent operation oi the switch upon actuation of the drawer.

Il. In combination with a card table, and a card dealing mechanism including means for moving an unshuffled deck of cards into the dealing mechanism, a signal located in the table adjacent each players position, a switch having contacts individually connected in circuit with the respective signals for successively actuating the signals, means connected with the switch for operation by said card moving means, and means for selectively rendering said connecting means ineffective upon operation of the card moving means.

5. In combination with a card table, and a card dealing mechanism including a card drawer for moving an unshufiled deck of cards into the dealing mechanism, and a cam on the drawer, a signal located in the table adjacent each players position, a switch having a contact for each signal for successively actuating the signals, circuit wires individually connecting each contact in circuit with its respective signal, a rod reciprocably mounted in the table, means connecting the rod with the switch, a hinged member on the rod, a roller on the hinged member engaging said cam to effect operation of the switch upon operation of the drawer, a shaft, means supporting the shaft adjacent said hinged member, a crank arm on the shaft, a sliding block on the hinged member and pivotally connected with said crank arm, a second crank arm on the shaft, and a rod connected with the last named arm for rotating the shaft to `eiTect moving of the hinged member out of the path of travel of said cam.

THOMAS L. GREEN. 

